Legal Reform: The Legal Crisis: What the Public ThinksTort Du Jour: Suicide Attempt as career MoveTestimony: The Need for Tort Reform

The Legal Crisis: What the Public Thinks

Americans are starting to come
around to the idea that our lawsuit-happy culture isn't good for
us.

The Center for Consumer Freedom
cites
in support of this position a Winston Group poll showing that
74 percent of Americans understand that class action lawsuits
raise prices for consumer goods.

Furthermore, the group says,
the poll shows that by a 56 percent to 32 percent margin, Americans
agree with the statement "Trial attorneys are only focused
on making money, and take advantage of people to fulfill their
own self interest in the guise of doing a public service."

By 48 percent to 38 percent,
Americans agree that "Lawsuits are costing America jobs because
businesses have had to spend huge amounts of money in settlements
and legal fees, which have resulted in layoffs and job losses.
Many of these lawsuits are frivolous and lawyers have taken advantage
of the situation at the expense of working Americans."

And by 51 percent to 34 percent, Americans believe "Class
action lawsuits have abused [the] judicial system, resulting in
frivolous lawsuits which allow attorneys to reap millions in attorneys'
fees when claimants receive little or nothing. These lawsuits
have clogged the legal system, meaning legitimate cases sometimes
take years to be heard often times preventing settlements from
being reached."

The Center also says
at a 2003 Gallup Poll showed nearly 9 in 10 Americans oppose holding
fast-food companies legally responsible for the diet-related health
problems customers and that 2 out of 3 U.S. households surveyed
by ACNielsen said parents and guardians are mostly to blame for
obesity in children 17 and under, with fast-food restaurants blamed
by 10 percent and food manufacturers by 1 percent. It also says
84 percent of those surveyed by the research firm Planet Feedback
placed the main responsibility for weight problems on "individuals
who do not exercise enough."

A U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2003
poll
similarly found that 67 percent of likely voters believe the class
action system is broken and should be reformed. 74 percent of
likely voters believe class actions drive up prices. 61 percent
say consumers and class members benefit the least from the class
actions. 47 percent say trial lawyers benefit the most.

-by Amy Ridenour

Tort
Du Jour: Suicide Attempt as Career Move

A New York woman was awarded
$9.9 million after she was hit by a subway.

The woman had been lying on
the tracks attempting to commit suicide at the time.

"In December, Tillinghast-Towers
Perrin released its latest analysis on tort costs in the U.S.
The tally jumped from $205 billion in 2001 to $233 billion
in 2002 -- an increase of 14 percent. Costs have increased
by 30 percent over the last two years, which was the biggest two-year
jump since 1986-87.

In 2002, tort costs equaled
2.2 percent of GDP.

Clearly, tort reform is needed
to reduce these costs that weigh so heavily on businesses and
consumers."